Fava Bean Scafata Recipe

A recipe for cooking fava beans just like a Roman

Slow-cooking fava beans with other vegetables makes for a perfect spring side dish, or try serving it over pasta for a light entree.

Scafata is a typical dish from the Italian region of Umbria made with fava beans, Swiss chard and bacon (or guanciale, if you can find it). Sometimes made with lima beans, scafata is greatly improved by using seasonal spring favas, which can be found at specialty and farmers markets. Tender and flavorful, fava beans are the perfect reminder that winter is over and a warm weather veggie bounty is right around the corner.

No need to get fancy with prep work here, scafata is a homestyle peasant dish. Feel free to chop as roughly as you like.